First annual Hawai’i Summit on Sustainability in Higher Education

The University of Hawai’i System is working with other higher education colleagues and the community to promote sustainability in higher education across the state.

The UH System is hosting the First Annual Hawai’i Sustainability in Higher Education Summit today,April 11th until 8 p.m. & tomorrow, April 12th from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the UH West O’ahu Ballroom in Kapolei. UH campuses, Hawai’i Pacific University, Brigham Young University – Hawai’i, and the community will work together to create goals and implementation strategies for a UH system-wide policy on sustainability.

The policy will outline objectives toward improving environmental stewardship and cost-saving efforts through more efficient use of resources in areas such as energy, water and waste management, food systems, and curriculum. The Office of the President of the UH System is the primary sponsor of this initiative.

“Sustainability is an increasingly important consideration in decision-making and planning on all levels of our institutions. We welcome the contributions and expertise of all segments of the university and the community-at-large, and acknowledge that there is much that we can learn from the wealth of scientific and cultural knowledge of native Hawaiians,” said UH President M.R.C. Greenwood.

Guest speakers include Leith Sharp, Chair of the Sustainable Futures Academy and Harvard Sustainability Instructor; Kamuela Enos, Social Enterprise Director at MA’O Organic Farms; Matthew St. Clair, Sustainability Manager at the University of California Office of the President; and UH President Greenwood.

Gold sponsors of this event are Hawai’i Energy, Hawaiian Electric Company, Johnson Controls and Makaha Studios. The event is also made possible by the efforts of the UH Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges.